Envelop-sealing machine.



PATBNTED JUNE 7,190.4.. i

G. J. PANGHBR. ENVELOP SEALING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED In 14, 190s. No MODEL.

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N0. 761,824. v 4 PATENIED JUNE?, 1904.

CVJ. PANCHER'. l ENVELOP'SEALING MACHINE.

APPLIOATIQN FILED MAY 14. 190s. No MODEL. z snnn'rs-'snnnr z.

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UNITED STATESv Patented June '7, 1904.

. PATENT OFFICE.

ENVELOP-SEALING MACHINE.`

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 761,824, dated June '7, 1904. .Application filed May 14,1903. Serial No. 157,100. (No model.)

To ttl whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES JAMES FAnci-IER, a citizen of the United States, and a resi-V dent of West Granby, in the countyof Hartof which the following is a full, clear, and ex- -act description.

This invention relates to a machineinwhich envelops may be placed in superimposed order, and upon the operation of the machine the envelops will be first moistened at the sealing-flap and then this flap pressed into sealed position on the envelop.

In its general organization the machine embodies a stack or hopper, across the bottom of which operates a slide which engages under the sealing-Hap of the envelop and draws the envelop out of the stack. The slide carries a moistening-brush which is operated upon the movement of the slide to wipe over the previously-gummed iiap, and said brush in operating on the iiap moves it against a springpressed backing-plate, which insures proper' engagement between the flap and brush. After this operation has been performed, the continued movement of the slide projects the envelop between one or more 'pairs of rol-ls, which press tnhe flap-into position on the envelop and finish the sealing operation.

This specification is an exactdescriptionof one example of my invention,while the claims define the actual scope thereof.Y

Reference is to ybe had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters'of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a section thereof von the line 2 2 of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional vdetail showing the operation of the slide and the backingplate and the relation of these elements to the other parts of the apparatus.

The framing of the apparatus comprises two side sections 10, connected at the front or receiving end of the machine by a cross-bar 11 and at the discharge end by cross-bars 12 and 14, which are spaced apart and between which the envelop is ejected from the machine. The envelop stack or hopper is located at the front side and comprises four corner-sections in rectangular arrangement, so as to confine the envelops in a superimposed pile. The two front corner-pieces 15 of the stack are rigidly fastened to the side portions 10 of the frame by means of suitable brackets or other devices, and the rear sections 16 of the stack or hopper are mounted to slide toward and from the sections 15. The sections 16 are mounted on guide-bars 17, attached to the respective sections 15 and projecting rearward, and said sections 16 have guides 18, receiving the bars The sections 16 are connected with each other by a rotary shaft 19, mounted suitably at the rear side of the sections 16 and having pinions 20, which engage the toothed portions 17 of the bars 17.

21 indicates a thumb-wheel which facilitates the revolution of the shaft 19, and by operating this shaft the sections 16 may be adjusted toward and j from the sections 15, whereby to hold envelops of any desired width.

22 indicates a follower, which is placed loosely in the stack and serves to press downward on the envelops therein.

means of the parts 24. and 10u the slide isv mounted to move across the bottom of the stack. Said slide is formed with a rearwardlyextending lip 24., which engages the under side of the envelop, and as thefslide is moved rearward this lip 24. enters between the sealing-flap and the body of the envelop and draws lthe envelop out of the stack through the medium of said sealing-flap in the manner indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. In order to support the envelops at the front of the machine when the slide moves rearward, the sections 15 are provided with inward exten- IOO sions or bottoms 15. (See Figs. 2 and 4.) The ends or extensions 24 of the slide 24 are connected with links 25 and 26. Of these -links the .link 25 is connected with a sprocketwheel 27, over which wheel runs a chain 28, also turning around a sprocket-wheel 29. rl`hc sprocket-wheel 29 is carried on a shaft 30, extending transversely in the frame of the machine just under the shield 23 and carrying a hand-crank 31, by which power may be manually applied to the machine. lf desired, the machine may be driven from amotor; but this is not material as regards my invention. The wheel 27 ismounted on a shaft 32, which extends transversely through the machine and has at its opposite end a crank 33, to which the before-mentioned link 26 is connected. By this means upon the operation of the crank 3l the slide 24 is made to move back and forth from the position shown in full lines in Fig. 4 to that indicated by the broken lines.

The cross-bar l1 before described supports the water-reservoir 34, which is provided with spring-fingers 35 and loosely embraces the cross-bar, as best shown in Fig. 4. Said reservoir 34 has a rearward extension 34, and in this extension is located a transversely-extending mass of absorbent material 36, which extends through a slot in the extension or pan 34 and which by capillary attraction is kept continually moist at its upper or outer portion. The slide 24 has downwardly-extending brackets 24C at each end, and in said brackets is mounted a shaft 37, which carries a brush 38. The shaft 37 also carries a gear 39, and this gear is in mesh with a stationary rack 40, fastened to one of the side portions of the frame at the inner side thereof. As the slide 24 operates the gears 39 and 40 eoacting cause the brush 38 to turn around the axis of the shaft 37 and meisten the sealingflap of the envelop, as will be hereinafter fully set forth.

Mounted in brackets 10, which project down, one from each side pori ion l() of the frame, is a rock-shaft 4l, to which two arms 42 are attached, these arms being actuated by springs 43 .to assume the position shown in Fig. 4, where their forward or rightward movement is arrested by means of stop-pins 44. The tension of the springs 43 being overcome, however, there is nothing to prevent the rearward or leftward movement of these arms. Said arms carry at their upper or free ends a backing-plate 45, which extends transversely and normally lies just under the sealing-iiaps of the envelops, as indicated by the full lines in Fig. 4. The baeking-plate 45 has at one end a transversely-extended stud 45, and this is adapted to be engaged by the diagonally-extending edge 56 of the lever 56. T his lever is fulcrumed atthe point 56" on the upper side of' the slide 24 adjacent to the front edge thereof and is drawn downward into the position shown in Fig. 4 by means of the spring 57, attached to the lever 56 and projecting downward through the slide 24, where it is fastened to one of the brackets 24" ol' said slide. (See Fig. 4.) As the slide advances toward the backing-plate 45 the edge 56 of the lever 56strikes the projection 45, and the backing-plate 45 is {irst moved rearward in advance of the slide. As this plate swings downward, however` it runs oliE of the edge 56 of the lever 56, whereupon said lever moves upward against the action of the spring 57, and the backing-plate 45 is then allowed to snap backward into engagement with the slide, as will be fully described hereinafter. This backing-plate serves, in addition to the functions above described, to strike the outer side of the iiap as the plate returns to its inactive position and in so doing to press the iiap against the envelop prior to the engagement of the sealing-rolls (to be hereinafter described) with the envelop.

46 indicates a rock-shaft mounted transversely in the framing just rearward of the sections 16 and carrying a stop-plate 47. 'lhis shaft 46 is actuated by a spring 48", which may be of any suitable sort and arrangement and serves with the stop-plate 47 to prevent the movement of more than one envelop ata time out of the stack.

As best shown in Fig. 2, two pairs ol rollers 48 and 48l and 49 and 49" are arranged rearward of the stop device 47 and under the shield 23. Of these rollers the roller 49 is preferably formed of blotting-paper or other like absorbent material, so as to remove the superfluous moisture from the envelop, and the roller 49 is corrugated to insure the uufailing drawing in of the envelop. The rollers 48 and 49 aremounted in stationary boxes; but the rollers 48tL and 49u are mounted on the ends of links 50. Said links are located one at each end of cach roller and are joined at each side of the machine by means of studs 5 l fastened to the side portions lO of the frame. Said links are actuated by springs 52, and by this arrangement the rollers 48L and 49" are kept pressed up firmly in engagement with their corresponding rollers 48 and 49. rl`l'1e upper rollers 48 and 4S) are provided with gears 53 and 54, located at the side of the machine adjacent to the sprocket-wheel 27, and these gears 53 and 54 are in mesh with a gea r 55, which is fastened to the shaft 32.

The general operation of the machine may be traced as follows: Assuming the parts to be in the position shown by the full lilies in Fig. 4, movement of the slide 24 rearward or leftward will cause the brush 38 to turn out of engagement with the sponge 36, and the lip 24" of the slide will run under the sealingflap of the lowermost envelop. Simultaneously the lever 56 strikes the extension 45o| the backing-plate 45 and the rearward movement of the backing-plate begins. 'l`he low- IOO lOS

ermost envelop is drawn out under the stop 4'?, the brush 38 continuing meanwhile to turn,

until finally said brush moves its wetted edge into engagement with the gummed side of the flap. When this takes place, the brush will throw the backing-plate rearward and downward out of engagement with the slide, said plate meanwhile pressing the flap up tightly against the brush, until finally the parts will assume the position shown by the broken lines in Fig. 4. When this takes place, the rear edge of the envelop will be engaged between the rollers 49 and 49a and the backing-plate 45 will lie at the under side of the roller 49a. The brush 38 will then move out of engagement with the iap and out of engagement with the backing-plate, and the envelop will be drawn through the rollers 49 and 4911 and 48 and 48, thus finishing the operation on the envelop. At this stage of the operation the movement of the slide 24 is reversed, whereupon the brush 38 reverses its movement and the backing-plate 45 returns into engagement with the slide 24. The slide continues moving rearward until the arm 42 strikes the stop-pin 44 and the backing-plate assumes its normal position. The slide continues rearward to the position shown in Fig. 4, whereupon the brush 38 is again engaged with the moistener or sponge 36, and the above-described operation may be repeated.

lVarious changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of my invention may be resorted to at will without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Hence I consider myself entitled to all such variations as may lie within the intent of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An envelop-sealing machine, comprising the combination with stack or storage means for the envelops, of a movably-mounted member adapted to engage the sealing-Hap of the lowermost envelop to withdraw said envelop, means for operating said member, means for moistening the flap and means for sealing the flap.

2. In an envelop-sealing machine, the combination with the stack or envelop-storage means, of a member movable past the stack to engage the sealing-Hap of the lowermost envelop, a brush carried by the member to moisten the sealing-flap, means for operating the said member, means for operating said brush, and a backing-plate coacting with the brush and said member.

3. In an envelop-sealing machine, the combination with the stack or envelop-storage means, of a slide movable past the stack to engage the sealing-flap of the lowermost envelop andl withdraw said envelop from the stack, means foroperating the slide, a rotary brush mounted onl the slide, a gear in connection with the brush, a stationary rack with which the gear is meshed, and a backing-plate coacting with the brush and slide.

4. In an envelop-sealing machine, the combination with the stack or envelop-storage means, of a slide arranged to move past the same to engage the sealing-Hap of the lowermost envelop and withdraw the envelop from the stack, means for operating the slide, a brush mounted on the slide, means for operating the brush, a backing-plate coacting with the brush and slide,' means for yieldingly holding the backing-plate in position, and a member yieldingly mounted on the slide and adapted to engage the backing-plate during the first period of movement thereof.

5. In an envelop-sealing machine, the combination with the stack or envelop-storage means, of a slide arranged to move past the stack to engage the sealing- Hap of the lowermost envelop and move said envelop from the stack, means for operating the slide, a brush mounted on the slide and adapted to moisten the sealing-hap of the envelop, means for operating the brush simultaneously with the movement of the slide, a backing-plate, swinging arms mounting the backing-plate, means yieldingly holding the arms and backing-plate in operative position, and a spring-sustained member mounted on the slide and adapted to engage the backing-plate during the first period of operation thereof.

6. In an envelop-sealing machine, the combination with a device for moistening the sealing-Hap, of two pairs of rollers between which the envelop isdrawn, swinging links mounting one roller of each pair, and a spring pressing the links, for the purpose specified.

7. In an envelop-sealing machine, the combination with a device for moistening the sealing-Hap, of two pairs of rollers between which the envelop is drawn, swinging links mounting one roller of each pair, and a spring pressing the links, for the purpose specified, said links being extended from the rollers t0- ward each other and pivoted to swing around a common axis.

8. An envelop-sealing machine, comprising the combination with the sealing devices, `of a stack for the envelops, said stack having a stationary section, an adjustable section, va rack-bar on which the adjustable section slides, and a gear mounted on the adjustable section and meshed with the rack.

9. In a machine for sealing envelops, lthe combination with the sealing devices proper, of a stationary envelop-stack section, an adjustable stack-section opposed thereto, and means for moving said adjustable section toward and from the stationary section.

10. An envelop-sealing machine, comprising the combination with the stack or envelop-storage means, of a member mounted to move past the stack to carry the envelops successively therefrom, a spring-pressed stop IOO IIO

member located at the discharge end oi' the stack to prevent the removal of more than one envelop at a time, means for moistening' the sealing-flap of the envelop, and means for pressing it into closed or sealed position.

11. In an envelop-sealing' machine, the combination of the stack o1 envelop-storage means, a yielding stop device located at the lower side of the stack, a member movable aci-oss the bottom of the stack to engage the sealing-flap of the lowermost envelop and move 

